Index member.



J. H. RAND,

INDEX MEMBER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2.19M.

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

JAMES H. RAND, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDEX MEMBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. a, ieia.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,032.

citizen of the United States, and resident of Newton, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Index Members, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to card index members for so-called visibleindexes of the type in which a seriesfiof overlapping cards aresupported in a frame by means of supporting bars or carriers, the endsof which are inserted in opposed guide channels of the frame. The cardsare attached at one edge to the bars or carriers while the oppositeedges are free, so that the cards may be swung on their bars or carriersto permit the inspection or making of entries on underlying cards, whilein normal position the cards overlap one anotherwith their free marginsexposed to display indexing matter. The present invention consistschiefly in certain noyel features of construction by which aset of plainindex cards such as are usually held in a tray or drawer, may be readilyconverted into an overlapping card index of the visible index type. Theadvantages of this type of index over the old fashioned card indexconsisting ofa stack of cards in a tray have long been understood, butthe labor and ex pense of copying the entries from an old card indexsystem into an overlapping card, visible index, together with thelikelihood of error, have stood in the way of changing from the oldsystem to the new. The principal object of the present invention is toprovide means by which an old style card index, with all its valuableentries may be made over into an overlapping card visible index.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention,-

Figure 1 is a front face view of the card index member;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear face view of the card;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fabric strip hereinafter described;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of part of one of the'sheaths; and Fig. 6is a sectional View similar to the lower part of Fig. 2 illustrating amodification.

The card proper, which forms the body of the card index member is shownat A.

B is a strip of flexible sheet material preferably textile fabric,folded over on itself on a line 6. One of the folds b is wider than theother fold b, and may be cut away if desiredto form a plurality ofattaching tabs 6 The fabric strip B is preferably sized or otherwisestiffened sufiiciently to enable the fold Z) to support the weight ofthe card when the parts are assembled as hereinafter described, and mayalso be coated with an adhesive gum, onsuchparts at least as overlie thecard A, for the ready attachment of the strip to the card.

C is a sheath of sheet celluloid, or other resilient transparentsheetmaterial, having longitudinal marginalli-ps 0 and 0 bent to- Wardeach other to form a substantially tubular structure, in which thefolded strip B is inserted endwise, with one fold b wholly containedwithin the sheath and supported by lip 0, while the other fold projectsout.- side of the sheath between the lips.

' The card A is attached at its upper edge to the outwardly projectingpart ofthe fab ric strip, and is wholly outside of the sheath and spaceda little therefrom, so as to leave a narrow area of the fabric uncoveredto form a flexible hinge. It will be understood that the upper sheath Cconstitutes a resilient supporting bar or carrier, whose laterallyextending ends are mounted in the usual guide flanges of the frame.

The structure at the lower edge of the card is precisely similar, savethat as the sheath here is merely a protective sheath and holder for anindexslip, the card body A may extend completely into the sheath betweenthe lips thereof, thus affording a comparatively rigid connectioninstead of a hinged connection between the sheath and the card.

An indicator slip or insert D is removably held within the lower sheathC, in front of the fabric fold b; and the fold 7) instead of being anattached strip might be formed by bending or folding the margin of thecard itself over upon the body of the card as shown at a 'Fig. 6, inwhich case the indicator strip D could be inserted in front of thefolded marginal member a, between it and the face of the sheath C in aposition 1 frame in the usual manner. The protective sheath and theremovable indicator slip at the bottom or free edge of the card aresimilarly attached bya fabric strip B, and a complete overlapping cardvisible index system, with removable supporting bars or sheaths andremovable indicator slips, 'is produced 'without sacrificing the oldcard system.

I claim:

1. A card index member comprising a .body of sheet material, a separatestrip of flexible sheet material attached to the edge of the body andfolded over on itself, and a sheath engaging and inclosing the foldedover part of the strip attached to the body.

2. A card index member comprising a body of sheet material, a separatestrip of textile fabric attached to the edge of the body and folded overon itself, and a sheath engaging and inclosing the folded over part ofthe fabric strip attached to the body. I

3. A card index member comprising a sheath having longitudinal marginallips bent toward each other to form a tubular structure, a strip offlexible sheet material folded over on itself, one fold being whollycontained within the sheath and the other projecting out of the sheathbetween said lips, and a body of sheet material attached to the part ofthe flexible strip projecting outside of the sheath.

4. A card index member comprising a sheath having longitudinal marginallips bent toward each other to form a tubular structure, a strip ofstiffened textile fabric folded over on itself, one fold being whollycontained within the sheath and the other projecting out of the sheathbetween said lips, and a body of sheet material attached to the part ofthe fabric strip projecting outside of the sheath.

5. A card index member comprising a sheath having longitudinal marginallips bent toward each other to form a tubular structure, a strip ofstiffened textile fabric folded over on itself, one fold being whollycontained within the sheath and the other projecting out of the sheathbetween said lips, and a card, wholly outside of the sheath and spacedtherefrom, attached to the part of the fabric strip projecting outside'of the sheath, the fabric between the card and the sheath constitutinga flexible hinge.

6. A card index member comprising a body of sheet material, having atits edge a marginal member folded over upon the body of the card, asheath having longitudinal retaining lips engaging and inclosing saidfolded marginal member, and a removable indicator slip between thefolded marginal member and the face of the sheath.

7. A card index member comprising a body of sheet material, a foldedmarginal member separately formed of textile fabric at the edge of thebody, a sheath having longitudinal retaining lips engaging and inclosingsaid folded marginal member, and a removable indicator slip between thefolded marginal member, and the face of the sheath.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 28th day of December, 1916.

. JAMES H. RAND.

